The present invention relates to a means for adjusting the gauge plate of a food product slicer relative to the blade, and a method therefore, and more particularly, this invention relates to an adjustment member which gives the gauge plate a plurality of degrees of movement to align the gauge plate with the slicing blade. Further, the invention relates to a means of attaching the two portions of the gauge plate.
Typical reciprocating food slicers have a rotatable, circular or disc-like slicing blade, a gauge plate for determining the thickness of the slice and a carriage for supporting the food as it is moved past the cutting edge of the knife during slicing.
The gauge plate is situated along one edge of the knife. It is laterally movable with respect to the knife for determining the thickness of the slices to be cut. The gauge plate is mounted on the base of the slicer parallel to the face of the knife.
In assembling the slicer, it is necessary to align the gauge plate with the rotary knife such that the knife edge is flush with or slightly recessed from the surface of the gauge plate when the gauge plate is closed. This invention provides a construction which facilitates this assembly as well as its adjustments during use.
In conventional slicers, the portions of the gauge plate were connected to each other by means of screws. Therefore, holes were required to be drilled in all portions of the plate. This is disadvantageous since food particles can get lodged in the holes and the crevices created by the screws in the holes. In order to solve this problem sometimes caps were placed over the holes to prevent contamination.